Cruz labels El-Sayed a 'jihadist leprechaun' in Michigan Senate bid

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas called his Michigan rival Abdul El-Sayed a "jihadist leprechaun" during a campaign stop outside Detroit on Wednesday. Cruz made the remark at an event supporting Republican nominee Mike Rogers, framing the Senate race as a battle between competing ideologies.

Cruz argued that El-Sayed would receive a top-level security clearance if elected, potentially serving on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He stated that if El-Sayed is a passionate supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, there is a real risk Americans will die. The group was designated a terrorist organization by the Trump administration in January.

El-Sayed has repeatedly denied ties to the organization. In a recent interview with Fox News, he said, "I have never been a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, I never will be a member of the Muslim Brotherhood." His campaign described the accusations as a bigoted anti-Muslim smear campaign intended to distract voters from economic frustrations.

The Republican messaging relies on posts from El-Sayed's half-sister, Fatten Elkomy, from 2012 and 2013. In those posts, she noted their birthmother was active in the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt during the early 1970s. El-Sayed was born in the United States and raised by his stepmother. He has said he has not discussed his birthmother's past with her since the group was added to U.S. proscribed lists.

Cruz also cited El-Sayed's role as president of the Muslim Students' Association chapter at the University of Michigan. The senator pointed to a 2011 op-ed where El-Sayed supported protests against Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, and a 2012 open letter signed by El-Sayed in support of President Mohamed Morsi. Morsi represented the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Campaign spokesperson Cole Wozniak responded to Cruz's comments by noting that Cruz has long supported policies that hurt Michigan families, including voting to cut healthcare for hundreds of thousands of residents. Wozniak added that the remarks are an attempt to distract from skyrocketing prices for gas and groceries caused by the administration's failed policies.

Mike Rogers, El-Sayed's opponent, repeated his assertion that this is the most important race in the country. He stated that socialism is married with Muslim Brotherhood ideology in his rival's platform. Rogers claimed that when candidates cannot tell the truth about life and death issues, they should not serve in the U.S. Senate.

The Michigan Senate race is rated a toss-up by the CBS News Battleground Tracker. Michigan, a longtime Democratic stronghold, voted for President Trump in 2016 and 2024. The state elected Democrat Elissa Slotkin to the Senate in 2024, setting the stage for this contested race.